Rivers: Accountant General Confirms Seizure Of October FAAC Allocation; Says Decision Based On Court Order

The federal government has stopped the monthly financial allocation to Rivers state from the federation Account.

This was confirmed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation on Friday, saying the decision was in line with the federal high court order.

The court made the ruling in October in a matter brought before it by the Martin Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to those watching what’s going on in the oil rich state, the FAAC decision has further highlighted the brinkmanship and struggle for the soul of the state by Governor Simi Fubara and Nyesom Wike, a former governor of the state and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Fubara and Wike are divided over the LGA election recently conducted in the state, and the Wike’s faction has challenged the validity of the election, including getting a court order to stop the monthly FAAC allocation to the state.

But on Thursday, a court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, upheld the LGA elections conducted by the state government.

Speaking on the FAAC allocation, spokesperson of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, said the Office took the decision was in line with the court order.

Since there’s no other contrary ruling from any court in the country, Mokwa stated that the October allocation has been withheld from the state.

Mokwa said, “What I got is that the October 2024 FAAC has not been distributed yet. However, the Federal Government will obey the court order on the matter of Rivers State allocation.

“We are going to follow due diligence as long as there is no contrary order. In case there is a contrary, the status will remain.”

He added, “The process of disbursement of the October 2024 monthly allocation is going.”

Meanwhile, analysts insist that the Supreme Court had in a landmark judgment between the federal and Lagos state government ruled that the federal government has no power to seize the monthly allocations to state.